Category Archives: Legislative News

VOTE ARTS & MUSIC: Musicians, Artists Rally for Arts Education in CA

Pictured above: Sidney Hopson (percussionist), former LAUSD Superintendent Austin Beutner, and Naomi Sato (music prep) at the kickoff event for the Vote Arts and Music campaign.

At the campaign kickoff for the Vote Arts and Music California ballot measure at Hamilton High School in Los Angeles on April 26, 2022, former LAUSD superintendent Austin Beutner, AFM Local 47 member Will.i.am, parents, teachers, Hollywood trade unions, and long list of celebrities and supporters rallied together to raise awareness about increasing funding for arts and education in California public schools. Continue reading →

American Music Fairness Act: Support #FairPay for all music creators!

Sign the Petition Here!

The American Music Fairness Act, a joint effort by the AFM and the MusicFIRST Coalition, aims to bring attention to a decades long injustice that denies payment to music creators when their music is played on traditional radio. Continue reading →

Musicians Need Help NOW: Extend pandemic unemployment benefits!

SEND IN YOUR LETTER NOW

Pandemic unemployment benefits are about to expire!

The supplemental $600 unemployment benefit many musicians have relied on will end before August, reducing the max unemployment benefit in California to $450/week.

Please send a letter from your family to the U.S. Senate today. Tell them how the crisis has impacted your ability to work, and why these benefits are so important. Continue reading →

AB5 Update

Originally posted December 31, 2019 by AFM Local 47 President John Acosta [johncoz2022]:

Many of you may now have heard of California legislation AB5 which was created to ensure that most workers in California are classified as employees, not independent contractors. Introduced by California Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez, AB5 was created to incorporate the Dynamex ruling, which was a California Supreme Court decision from last year, into state law. That decision limited an employer’s ability to classify certain types of workers as independent contractors. Some members have asked if this new law will negatively impact the practice of using loan out companies as a way of ensuring fair tax treatment for our members. It is our view that AB5 will have no impact on the use of loan outs. AFM Local 47 along with DGA, WGA, IATSE and SAG-AFTRA have done exhaustive due diligence with counsel to come to this conclusion.

Continue reading →

AFM Local 47 Executive Board Endorses Gavin Newsom for Governor

The American Federation of Musicians Local 47 Executive Board is proud to endorse Gavin Newsom for Governor of California.

Newsom earned a respectable track record as a supporter of working people during his two consecutive terms as mayor of San Francisco by guiding the city into economic stability by creating and enforcing progressive policies pushing for civil rights, environmental protections, and job creation. Continue reading →

Keeping the Score in CA: Tax Credit Committee Update

Musicians Chris Anderson-Bazzoli and Blake Cooper with Assemblywoman Wendy Carrillo at a recent legislative visit in support of a California music-scoring tax credit.

Last year we had a bill, AB 1300 (Calderon), which was narrowly focused on modifying the existing Tax Credit Program to include a music-scoring tax credit.

This year, a new bill, AB 1734 (Calderon), aims to renew the entire Film and TV Tax Credit Program. We are working with Assembly Majority Leader Ian Calderon on how to include language in the overall renewal that will address the loss of jobs in the scoring industry. Continue reading →

‘Keeping the Score in CA’ Rally Highlights Good Jobs for Musicians Via Tax Credit Legislation

“Keeping the Score in CA” kickoff concert & media event outside of Los Angeles City Hall on Aug. 19, 2017. (Photos: Linda A. Rapka)

“Momentum is strong, and we can’t let up now!” That was the dominant message on Saturday, Aug. 19 at the “Keeping the Score in CA” free concert and rally at city hall where a crowd of 150 gathered to hear music, politicians and union leaders push for the AB 1300, the music scoring tax credit that will help keep good jobs in California.

“When you look at the overall state budget, the value of retaining these jobs here is of significant state interest,” Assembly Majority Leader Ian Calderon (D-57^th), told the crowd who gathered to hear performances by musicians including Rickey Minor (bandleader for the 69^th Annual Emmy Awards whose credits also include “The Tonight Show” and “American Idol”) and Siddhartha Khosla (composer for NBC’s “This Is Us”).

Related: Variety – Musicians Union Members Stage Free Concert to Bring Scoring Jobs Back to L.A. Continue reading →

Calls needed to Keep the Score in CA!

Photo: Linda A. Rapka

Thank you!

Musicians, labor allies and community leaders came together last Saturday at our “Keeping the Score in CA” kickoff concert. Thanks to Rickey Minor, Siddhartha Khosla, and all of our esteemed Assemblymembers and guest speakers for showing our local legislators, and AB 1300 author Assembly Majority Leader Ian Calderon, that music scoring tax credits are a key issue to our community. View the photo gallery and media coverage on the event.

Now let’s thank our Assemblymembers.

Call Majority Leader Ian Calderon and Assemblymembers Sebastian Ridley-Thomas and Jim Cooper to thank them for being champions only for our event, but for our entire industry. Continue reading →

Musicians Continue to Visit State Senators in Support of AB 1199

December 2015 saw the continuation of visits to the offices of local state senator offices by musicians to speak in favor of AB 1199, legislation that has the potential to bring thousands of music scoring jobs back to California.

The bill is currently in the Senate Governance & Finance Committee and will be picked up again in early 2016. Musicians are utilizing this time to gear up for visits to local state senate offices to voice their support of this important bill.

On Dec. 16 members met with Nathaniel Serslev, District Director for Sen. Janet Nguyen, in Garden Grove. Just before the Christmas holiday on the morning of Dec. 23, musicians visited the office of Sen. Mike Morrell to speak with District Director Nick Calero in Rancho Cucamonga.

Sign up for Local 47 Action Alerts to stay tuned to future senate visits and other actions that protect our jobs and our livelihood.

Democrats Say ‘Bring More Music Jobs to CA!’

California Democratic Party passes resolution to broaden state’s film & TV tax incentives to support music employment

In support of local musicians seeking to grow music scoring work in the state, the California Democratic Party’s Executive Board adopted a resolution Aug. 16, 2015 in favor of broadening the Film & TV Tax Incentive Program to support and increase music jobs.

The resolution was put forward by Local 47 member and activist Clifford Tasner, who serves as a delegate to the California Democratic Convention, and 25 DSCC members. It speaks to the merits of AB 1199, a bill aimed at improving the California Film & TV Tax Credit Program to bring more music scoring work to the state. Continue reading →